Chapter 607: A Straight Target Running Naked Under the Spotlight

But Carlson's death completely changed the nature of the situation.
It was no longer a story, but a Damocles' sword hanging over everyone's heads!
It was like a tactical nuclear bomb, precisely detonated on their seemingly impregnable fortress!
Because the dead were no longer just some nobody, but the core giant who occupied the very top of the industry's food chain, the one who single-handedly created the insurance cartel!
"Wait, wait...you mean, not only are we all stripped naked and put on the dark web...
Our lives and fortunes are now at someone else's mercy?!"
"More than meat on a chopping block!" The whistleblower nodded desperately.
"It's said that before Chairman Carlson's murder, his real-time movements were broadcast live on the dark web like a takeout delivery!
The killer practically followed a GPS to his doorstep!"
"Holy shit! Who the hell did this?!"
A fat, burly executive slammed his fist on the table, scattering cigar ash everywhere, and roared hysterically,
"Investigate! Investigate to the death! Dig up his entire family history!"
"It's no use... that's the dark web."
The head of the technical department shook his head bitterly,
"It's a lawless zone in the literal sense, the deepest abyss of the internet world.
Trying to pinpoint an anonymous poster there is as difficult as finding a specific grain of sand in the Sahara Desert."
Those words sent everyone's hearts sinking to the bottom.
This meant that they, every single one of them, were now sitting ducks under the spotlight.
They could be shot dead at any moment by a madman who might appear from any corner.
"And...to be honest, I don't think we need to investigate at all."
From the corner, the vice president, Ronald, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Who is the real mastermind? Don't any of you have a clue?"
A name, like a black lightning bolt, instantly cleaved through everyone's minds.
“Fang Huan…investment?”
“Really…really those lunatics?”
“Who else could it be but them?” Ronald’s eyes were icy cold.
“Who has the motive, the guts, and the uncanny ability to operate so stealthily?
These guys always operate this way—they don’t reason, they only follow the physics.”
“But…but, whether it was the CEO’s shooting last time, or Chairman Carlson’s tragic death this time, we couldn’t find a single clue related to Fang Huan’s investment!”
“That’s precisely what makes them so terrifying!” Ronald sneered.
“They always manage to absolve themselves completely, like ghosts walking among men, killing without a trace, leaving no mark!”
Vice Chairman Ronald stood up, his eyes as sinister as a hawk’s, and slammed a document onto the center of the conference table with a dull thud:
“This time, it’s definitely their doing too! Look at this, and you’ll understand everything!”
Everyone craned their necks to look.
"What is this?"
"A document that Fanghuan Investment sent to our association before Chairman Carlson's incident."
"What are its contents?"
“The first half is all high-sounding nonsense,” Ronald said dismissively,
“It says things like, ‘We deeply regret your association’s actions in preventing us from entering the insurance market;’
‘We have no intention of competing with major insurance companies; we only want to provide a little help to the disadvantaged.’
We hope you can reconsider your prejudices and prioritize the greater good,’ and things like that.”
“Bullshit! Even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe that nonsense!”
“That’s right, Fang Huan didn’t expect us to believe it either.”
Ronald’s gaze swept across the room, and he said, enunciating each word clearly,
“The key point is… the last sentence.”
At the end of the document, there were no polite closings, no official signature, only a single line of bold, simplified Chinese characters.
The square characters, resembling writing yet also totems, exuded a chilling murderous aura:
【Don't say you weren't warned.】
"Translated, it means a warning."
Every word Ronald spoke was like a heavy hammer, striking the fragile hearts of everyone present.
"This document arrived at the association, and less than five minutes later, news of Chairman Carlson's death... came."
"!?!"
The entire conference room fell silent instantly.
Everyone's face was filled with utter horror, as if an invisible hand had gripped their throats.
"...You mean, Fang Huan... killed Carlson merely to warn us...?!"
"All the clues point to this single conclusion." Ronald surveyed the crowd.
"A warning document, laced with the implication of an ultimatum, arrived just moments before our association's president lay dead in the street.
Gentlemen, do you think such a coincidence exists?"
Coincidence? Coincidence my ass!
This was clearly a blatant act of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey," a brutal warning played out in blood and life!
On the surface, it was just a business negotiation document.
But that last sentence, coupled with Carlson's still-warm body, transformed it into an outrageously arrogant threat!
And Carlson's hot blood was the most vivid, indelible stamp on the letter's intimidating power!
“These…these lawless beasts!” someone finally broke down, screaming hysterically.
“Do they really think they're the Mafia?! This is the most powerful country, the United States!
They just kill people like that, is there no law anymore?!”
“I’ve already asked around to investigate,” Ronald added coldly, pouring the final bucket of ice water on their illusions.
“This isn’t the first time Fang Huan Investment has used this kind of ‘physical persuasion’ tactic.
It’s said that they were behind the assassination attempt on the former Japanese Prime Minister and the near-death experience of the former president.
The worst part is, everyone knows they did it, but there’s not a single piece of evidence to bring them to court.”
“Like…what we’re like now?”
“Exactly. That’s Fang Huan’s style.” Ronald concluded.
“They flex their muscles in the most arrogant way, then erase the traces with the most flawless methods.
They make you know they did it, but you can only watch helplessly, not daring to utter a sound.”
“…”
An unprecedented sense of powerlessness overwhelmed everyone present.
It was like knowing a bloodthirsty beast was lurking in the darkness, watching you; you could even smell its bloody breath and feel its chilling killing intent...
But you couldn't see it, touch it, let alone retaliate.
"What...monster have we... provoked?"
Since its inception, what kind of enemy hadn't the Insurance Association encountered? What kind of schemes hadn't it played?
They'd slain all obstacles in their path, climbing to their current position by crushing all rivals under their feet.
They thought they were the god of the industry, the very rule itself.
But today, they'd encountered a completely unpredictable, otherworldly attacker.
This was an unprecedented enemy—powerful, mysterious, and utterly unconventional.
You talk to them about the law, they fight with bayonets.
You're ready to engage him in a firepower battle, only to find he's just pressed the nuclear launch button.
What the hell is the point of fighting this war?!